U.S. patent application number 12/071313 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-11 for navigation apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to AISIN AW CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Takaaki Nakayama.
Application Number | 20080221792 12/071313 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39469429 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080221792 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nakayama; Takaaki |
September 11, 2008 |
Navigation apparatus
Abstract
When a first guidance reissue request is placed following voice
guidance, it is likely that a driver has failed to hear the voice
guidance and, therefore, guidance having a content identical to the
initial guidance is issued (only the distance is modified).
Beginning with a second guidance reissue request, on the other
hand, it is likely that the driver desires different information,
and therefore the guidance is reissued after modifying its content,
e.g. an additional guidance item is modified while the content of
the basic guidance item remains the same. The additional guidance
may be modified by modifying the content of the item or by adding
items.
Inventors: |
Nakayama; Takaaki;
(Okazaki-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-1176
US
|
Assignee: |
AISIN AW CO., LTD.
Anjo-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
39469429 |
Appl. No.: |
12/071313 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/431 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/3655 20130101;
G01C 21/3629 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/211 |
International
Class: |
G01C 21/34 20060101
G01C021/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 5, 2007 |
JP |
2007-054336 |
Claims
1. A navigation device comprising: a travel route acquisition unit
for obtaining a travel route; a voice guidance unit for providing
voice guidance relating to a guidance subject on the obtained
travel route; a guidance reissue requesting unit for inputting a
request for reissue of the voice guidance; and a counting unit for
counting a number of requests input through the guidance reissue
requesting unit relating to the same guidance subject, wherein,
when a request is input through the guidance reissue requesting
unit, the voice guidance unit modifies the guidance content in
accordance with the counted number of requests, and then reissues
the guidance.
2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the voice
guidance unit reissues guidance having the same guidance content as
an initial guidance in response to a first request for guidance
reissue, and, starting with a second guidance reissue request,
reissues the guidance after modifying the guidance content.
3. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the guidance
relating to the guidance subject includes a basic guidance item and
an additional guidance item, and the voice guidance unit modifies
the additional guidance item in accordance with the counted number
of requests and then reissues guidance as the basic guidance item
in combination with the modified additional guidance item.
4. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the guidance
relating to the guidance subject includes a basic guidance item and
an additional guidance item, and the voice guidance unit adds an
additional guidance item in accordance with the counted number of
requests and then reissues guidance as the basic guidance item in
combination with the added additional guidance item.
5. The navigation device according to claim 4, wherein the basic
guidance item includes distance to a road junction and direction to
be taken at the road junction, and the voice guidance unit modifies
the distance of the basic guidance item according to a distance
from a current position to the road junction in both the initial
guidance and in the reissued guidance.
6. The navigation device according to claim 3, wherein the basic
guidance item includes distance to a road junction and direction to
be taken at the road junction, and the voice guidance unit modifies
the distance of the basic guidance item according to a distance
from a current position to the road junction in both the initial
guidance and in the reissued guidance.
7. A navigation method comprising: searching map data to determine
a travel route; outputting initial voice guidance relating to a
guidance subject on the determined travel route; inputting a
request for reissue of voice guidance; counting the number of
inputs of request for voice guidance relating to the same guidance
subject; modifying the content of the most recent previously output
voice guidance in accordance with the counted number of requests;
and outputting the modified voice guidance.
8. The navigation method according to claim 7, wherein the modified
voice guidance has the same content as the initial guidance in
response to a first request for guidance reissue, and, starting
with a second guidance reissue request, reissues the guidance after
modifying the guidance content.
9. The navigation method according to claim 7, wherein the voice
guidance relating to the guidance subject includes a basic guidance
item and an additional guidance item, and wherein the modifying of
the content of the voice guidance is by modifying the additional
guidance item in accordance with the counted number of requests and
then reissuing the voice guidance as the basic guidance item in
combination with the modified additional guidance item.
10. The navigation method according to claim 7, wherein the
guidance relating to the guidance subject includes a basic guidance
item and an additional guidance item, and the modifying includes
adding an additional guidance item in accordance with the counted
number of requests and wherein voice guidance is then reissued as
the basic guidance item in combination with the added additional
guidance item.
11. The navigation method according to claim 10, wherein the basic
guidance item includes distance to a road junction and direction to
be taken at the road junction, and wherein the distance item in the
basic guidance is modified according to a distance from a current
position to the road junction in both the initial guidance and in
the reissued guidance.
12. The navigation method according to claim 9, wherein the basic
guidance item includes distance to a road junction and direction to
be taken at the road junction, and wherein the distance item in the
basic guidance is modified according to a distance from a current
position to the road junction in both the initial guidance and in
the reissued guidance.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.
2007-054336 filed on Mar. 5, 2007 including the specification,
drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a navigation device which
is capable of receiving and processing a guidance reissue request
from a driver after issuing voice guidance.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Navigation devices that generate a screen display of the
current position of a vehicle and a map of the vicinity of the
vehicle and perform a travel route search and guidance to a
destination have become widely used. The guidance performed by such
a navigation device includes, not only screen display, but also
voice guidance.
[0006] Navigation devices having a function enabling repeat of the
most recent voice guidance, responsive to button operation when the
driver fails to hear or wishes to confirm the voice guidance, are
also known.
[0007] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-324990, for
example, discloses a technique for storing the content of voice
guidance in memory and reissuing the voice guidance in accordance
with the stored content of the memory, responsive to a request by a
user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In certain cases, for example when the driver wishes to
listen carefully to the guidance, when the driver wishes to obtain
more detailed information, and when the driver has sufficient time
to perform an operation and listen to the voice guidance, the
driver may request repeat of the voice guidance many times.
[0009] However, in the known navigation devices capable of
repeating voice guidance, only the distance from the object
(subject) of the guidance changes, regardless of the number of
times the driver requests repeat of the guidance, and the remainder
of the content of the guidance remains the same.
[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide reissue of guidance that better conforms to a driver's
needs.
[0011] According to the present invention, a counter counts the
number of requests for repeat (reissue) of guidance for the same
guidance subject, and when a request is made through a guidance
repeat (reissue) requesting unit, the guidance content is modified
according to the counted number of requests, after which the
guidance is reissued and, therefore, reissued guidance better
conforming to the driver's needs can be provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a navigation device according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a first example of voice guidance
processing by the navigation device of FIG. 1; and
[0014] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a second example of voice guidance
processing by the navigation device of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] A preferred embodiment of a navigation device (apparatus)
according to the present invention will be described in detail
below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
(1) Outline of the Embodiment
[0016] In use of the navigation device according to this
embodiment, a travel route to a destination is set, and voice
guidance relating to the travel direction and so on is provided in
accordance with the set travel route. The navigation device
determines whether or not the current position of the vehicle
corresponds to a guidance point on the set travel route, and when
an affirmative determination is made, voice guidance (initial
guidance) is issued. For example, when the guidance subject is a
junction, initial guidance such as "Turn left in approximately 300
m. The supermarket XX marks the spot" is issued at a predetermined
distance ahead of (in advance of) the junction.
[0017] The content of the voice guidance includes a basic guidance
content, that constantly serves as the guidance subject, and an
additional guidance content (and optionally non-guidance subjects)
are determined according to the number of requests for guidance
reissue. The basic guidance content includes "distance information"
such as "in approximately 300 m", "in approximately 700 m" and
"imminently", and "junction (or interjection) direction guidance"
such as "straight ahead", "turn right" or "turn left". The
additional guidance may include "landmark guidance" such as "the
supermarket XX marks the spot", "head toward guidance" such as
"head toward XX", "intersection guidance" such as "at City Hall
South" (the name of an intersection) and so on.
[0018] The basic guidance content (items) is issued regardless of
the number of requests for guidance reissue, but distances such as
300 m, 700 m and "imminently" are modified according to the
distance to the guidance subject at the time of the request for
guidance reissue. The content (items) of additional guidance is
modified according to the number of requests, from the second
reissue request on.
[0019] In this embodiment, when a first request for guidance
reissue is made, it is likely that the driver has failed to hear
the guidance, and therefore guidance having an identical content to
the initial guidance (only the distance is modified as below) is
provided. Beginning with the second guidance reissue request, on
the other hand, it is likely that the driver wishes to receive
different information, and therefore guidance is provided after
modifying the structure (content) of the additional guidance item,
although the content of the basic guidance remains the same and is
repeated.
[0020] Modification of the additional guidance item may be
modification by alteration of the structure (content) of the
additional guidance (first example) and/or modification by addition
of new content (items) (second example). In structural
modification, when "landmark guidance" is provided in the initial
guidance, the landmark is changed to "head toward guidance" in the
second guidance reissue (third output including the "basic" or
"initial" guidance) and "intersection guidance" in the third
guidance reissue, for example. In modification through addition,
when "landmark guidance" is provided in the initial guidance, "head
toward guidance" is added to the "landmark guidance" in the second
guidance reissue (third output), and "intersection guidance" is
added to the "landmark guidance" and the "head toward guidance" in
the third guidance reissue, for example. Note, however, that the
order of the basic guidance and additional guidance may differ in
actual voice guidance according to the content of each item of
guidance.
[0021] The content of the additional items of guidance is stored
for each guidance subject (point), and a determination is made in
advance as to whether or not to issue additional guidance items in
the initial guidance, and if so, which additional guidance item(s)
is to be issued. The order of modification of the additional
guidance items is also determined in advance, but an order of
precedence may be regularized in advance according to the type of
guidance subject (intersection, junction, turn, head toward
guidance, and so on).
(2) Details of the Embodiment
[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 the navigation device according to this
embodiment is installed in a vehicle and includes a current
position detection device 10, an information processing control
device 20, an input/output device 40 and an information storage
device 50.
[0023] The current position detection device 10 includes an
absolute bearing sensor 11 which is a geomagnetic sensor that
detects the direction in which the vehicle is headed by detecting
the N direction on the basis of a magnet, for example.
[0024] A relative bearing sensor 12 detects whether or not the
vehicle has turned at an intersection, for example, and may be an
optical rotation sensor or a potentiometer attached to a rotary
element of the steering system, or an angle sensor attached to a
vehicle wheel. A gyrosensor that detects angular change using
angular velocity may also be used. In other words, any unit that is
capable of detecting angular change relative to a reference angle
(the absolute bearing) may be used. A distance sensor 13 may be a
unit that detects and counts the number of vehicle wheel rotations
or a unit that detects acceleration and integrates it twice, for
example. In other words, any unit that is capable of measuring the
distance of movement of the vehicle may be used.
[0025] A GPS (Global Positioning System) reception device 14
receives signals from an artificial satellite, and is capable of
obtaining various information such as the signal transmission time,
positional information relating to the location of the reception
device, the speed of movement (travel) of the reception device and
the advancement direction of the reception device. A beacon
receiver 15 receives signals transmitted by a transmission device
disposed in a specific geographical location (stationary). The
beacon reception device 15 is capable of obtaining VICS (Vehicle
Information and Communication System) information, in particular,
as well as information relating to vehicle travel such as
congestion information, current position information and parking
lot information.
[0026] A data transmission/reception device 16 communicates with
other such devices remote from the vehicle, using a telephone line
or radio waves for information exchange. For example, the data
transmission/reception device 16 may be capable of inputting and
outputting travel-related information using a variety of methods
such as automobile telephone, ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information
Service), VICS, GPS correction and inter-vehicle communication.
[0027] The information processing control device (means) 20 is a
device for performing calculations and control on the basis of
information input from the current position detection device 10 and
the input/output device 40 and information stored in the
information storage device 50, and for control to ensure that the
calculation results are output to the appropriate unit such as a
display 42, a printer 43 or a speaker 44. The information
processing control device 20 includes a central processing unit
(CPU) 21 which provides overall calculation and control of the
entire navigation device, and also executes voice guidance
processing. The information processing control device 20 further
includes a first ROM 22, a RAM 24, a second ROM 26, a clock 28 and
a guidance request counter ("counting unit") 62. The first ROM 22
stores navigation-related programs, in particular, navigation
programs relating to current position detection, route searches,
display guidance, voice guidance, etc. The RAM 24 stores
information input by a user such as destination information and
transit point information, which are input through an input device
to be described below, the results of calculations performed by the
CPU 21 on the basis of the information input by the user, the
results of a route search, and map information read from the
information storage device 50. The communication interface 25 is a
unit for inputting and outputting information from the current
position detection device 10, in particular, information obtained
from the remote locations. The second ROM 26 stores
navigation-related programs, in particular, navigation programs
relating to travel route guidance and geographical location
guidance. The image processor 27 converts vector information
processed by the CPU into image information which is then stored in
image memory 29.
[0028] Also included in the information processing control device
are a sensor input interface 23, which receives information from
the current position detection device 10, a communication interface
25, an image processor 27, an image memory 29 and a voice processor
30. The clock 28 detects the current time. The guidance reissue
request counter 62 counts the number of requests input through the
guidance reissue requesting unit 41a relating to the same guidance
subject. The voice processor 30 processes voice information read
from the information storage device 50 and voice information for
voice guidance reissuance, which is read from the RAM 24.
[0029] The input/output device 40 includes an input device 41 into
which data such as a destination, transit points and search
conditions are input by the user, the display 42 for displaying
images, the printer 43 for printing information, and the speaker 44
for outputting a voice. The input device 41 includes a touch panel,
a touch switch, a joystick, and/or a key switch, for example. The
input device of this embodiment is provided with a guidance reissue
request key ("guidance reissue requesting unit" or "guidance
reissue requesting means") 41a for requesting the reissuance of
voice guidance. The guidance reissue request key may be
incorporated into the display 42 in the form of a touch panel or a
touch switch, or may be in the form of an independent button or
switch.
[0030] The display 42 displays a map of the vicinity of the current
location and a travel route to the destination. The information
storage device 50 is connected to the information processing
control device 20 via a transmission line 45. The information
storage device 50 stores a map data file 51, an intersection data
file 52, a node data file 53, a road data file 54, a photograph
data file 55, a destination data file 56, a guidance point data
file 57, a detailed destination data file 58, a destination reading
data file 59, and a miscellaneous data file 60. The information
storage device 50 may be in the form of an optical storage medium
such as a DVD-ROM or a CD-ROM, or a magnetic storage medium such as
a hard disk, or in the form of various other information storage
media such as a magneto-optical disk or semiconductor memory.
[0031] To provide travel route guidance the navigation unit detects
the current position (location) using the current position
detection device 10, reads map information relating to the vicinity
of the current position from the map data file 51 in the
information storage device 50, and displays the read map
information on the display unit 42. When a destination is input
through the input device 41, the information processing control
device (means) 20 searches for (calculates) a plurality of travel
route candidates from the current position to the destination and
displays the travel route candidates on the map displayed on the
display unit 42. Then, when the driver selects one of the travel
routes, the selected travel route is stored in the RAM 24. Thus,
the navigation unit serves as a travel route acquisition unit
(means) to obtain, set and store a travel route.
[0032] Optionally, the information processing control device 20 may
obtain the travel route by transmitting the current vehicle
position (or an input point of departure) and the destination to an
information processing center and receiving a travel route to the
destination that has been determined by search in the information
processing center. In this case, communication of the destination
and travel route is performed by wireless communication via the
communication interface 25. Alternatively, a travel route from the
departure point to the destination may be searched for using an
information processing device such as a home personal computer or
the like, whereupon the travel route is stored in a storage medium
such as USB memory and obtained via a corresponding storage medium
reading device. In this case, the storage medium reading device is
connected to the information processing control device 20 via the
transmission line 45.
[0033] A travel route may also be obtained by estimating a
destination from the current time and current position and
searching for a travel route to the estimated destination. For
example, the destination may be estimated by storing travel history
data, extracting travel data obtained at the same time (including
the day of the week) and relating that extracted travel data to a
route between identical points, such as in the case in which the
driver drives the vehicle to his/her office (the geographical
location of which has been registered) at around 7 o'clock on
weekdays, and creating a database of departure points, destinations
and departure times. Then, when the current time is 7 o'clock on a
weekday and the current location is the home of the driver, for
example, it is estimated that the destination is the driver's
office, and a travel route from home to the driver's office is
retrieved from memory.
[0034] While the vehicle is moving, route guidance is performed by
tracking the current position detected by the current position
detection device 10. In route guidance, the vehicle position on the
map is determined by map matching between road data corresponding
to the set travel route and the current position detected by the
current position detection device 10. A map of the vicinity of the
current vehicle position is then displayed on the display unit 42,
and the set travel route and current position are displayed on the
map. Further, a determination is made as to whether or not guidance
is required from the relationship between the position of a
guidance subject (object or location, e.g. an intersection) on the
searched travel route and the current position. In other words,
determinations such as whether or not travel route guidance at a
predetermined turning point or the like and directional guidance
are required are made when the vehicle has been traveling in a
straight line for a predetermined distance or more. When it is
determined that guidance is required, guidance is provided visually
on the display 42 and audibly as voice guidance.
[0035] Voice guidance (voice guidance processing) includes initial
guidance, which is performed automatically by the navigation device
in accordance with the current position (location) of the vehicle
relative to a guidance subject or guidance point, and guidance
reissuance, which is output responsive to a guidance reissue
request from the driver.
[0036] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of a
voice guidance routine in accordance with the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 2, the information processing control device 20
monitors whether or not the vehicle has reached a voice guidance
point relating to a guidance subject that is ahead of the vehicle
on the set travel route (step 10). When the vehicle has not reached
the voice guidance point, the process advances to step 13 in order
to monitor guidance reissue requests relating to guidance subjects
for which initial guidance has already been issued.
[0037] On the other hand, when the vehicle reaches a voice guidance
point (step 10; Y), the information processing control device 20
issues voice guidance relating to the guidance subject (step 11),
and stores the voice guidance data used in the initial guidance in
a predetermined area of the RAM 24 in preparation for a voice
guidance reissue request from the driver (step 12).
[0038] Next, the information processing control device 20 monitors
whether or not a voice guidance reissue request has been placed by
the driver using the guidance reissue requesting unit 41a (step
13). If not (step 13; N), the routine advances to step 17. In this
case, when guidance is not complete in step 17, the routine returns
to step 10. However, the voice guidance processing of steps 11 and
12 is not performed until the vehicle reaches the next voice
guidance point and, instead, the routine advances to step 13 from
step 10. Thus, guidance reissue requests are monitored constantly
until the vehicle reaches the next voice guidance point.
[0039] When a guidance reissue request has been placed by the
driver (step 13; Y), the information processing control device 20
calculates the distance from the guidance subject to the current
vehicle position and, after modifying the distance component of the
guidance in accordance with the calculated distance, reproduces the
voice guidance data stored in the RAM 24 (step 14). The initial
guidance data is stored in the RAM 24, and therefore, when the
guidance reissue request is placed for the first time, the content
of the first reissue guidance is identical to the content of the
initial voice guidance.
[0040] The counting unit 62 of the information processing control
device 20 counts the number of guidance reissue requests (step 15),
and in preparation for the next (second and subsequent) guidance
reissue request, modifies the content of the additional guidance
item of the voice guidance data stored in the RAM 24 in accordance
with the counted number of requests (step 16). Note that counting
of the number of guidance reissue requests in step 15 may be
performed before step 14 or after step 16, as long as the count
corresponds to the modification content of step 16. In step 16, the
information processing control device 20 modifies the content of
the additional guidance item in accordance with the number of
guidance reissue requests in an order such as that shown in the
following example. It is assumed that the initial guidance includes
the basic guidance items "distance guidance" and "junction
direction guidance" and the additional guidance item is
"intersection guidance" such that, for example, the guidance "Turn
left at City Hall South in approximately 700 m" is issued.
[0041] (a) First guidance reissue request: "junction direction
guidance"+"intersection guidance"+"distance guidance", i.e. "Turn
left at City Hall South in approximately 500 m". [0042] (b) Second
guidance reissue request: "junction direction guidance"+"distance
guidance"+"landmark guidance", i.e. "Turn left in approximately 300
m. The supermarket XX marks the spot". [0043] (c) Third guidance
reissue request: "junction direction guidance"+"distance
guidance"+"head toward guidance", i.e. "Turn left in approximately
300 m. Head toward Nagoya". In the foregoing example of guidance
reissuance, each additional guidance item is underlined.
[0044] In the example described above, in the content of the first
guidance reissue, only the distance of the basic guidance items is
modified from 700 m to 500 m assuming that the driver wishes to
reconfirm the content of the initial guidance. The remainder of the
content of the reissued guidance is identical to the content of the
initial guidance stored in the RAM 24 in step 12. Beginning with
the second reissue of guidance, the content of the additional
guidance item is modified sequentially, in addition to the
modification (updating) of the distance of the basic guidance
items, assuming that the driver desires "guidance" rather than
"reconfirmation". In the above example, the additional guidance
item is changed (modified) from "intersection guidance" (at City
Hall South) in the initial guidance and in the first reissue to
"landmark guidance" (the supermarket XX marks the spot) and then to
"head toward guidance" (head toward Nagoya).
[0045] In this embodiment, the order of the additional guidance
items is determined in advance for each guidance subject, and
therefore modification is performed in this order. When the final
additional guidance item has been issued, the next guidance reissue
returns to the first additional guidance item.
[0046] However, a rule may be determined (set) for the orders of
precedence of the additional guidance items with modification
performed in accordance with this rule. For example, the sequence
of "intersection guidance", "landmark guidance" and "head toward
guidance" may be regularized as the order of precedence of the
additional guidance items such that guidance is issued in that
order for the guidance subject that has the highest order of
precedence. In so doing, the need to determine individual orders
(sequence) for each guidance subject is eliminated. Further, in
addition to this order of precedence, a special sequence for
modifying the order of precedence may be determined for each
guidance subject. More specifically, in the rule described above,
the additional guidance item "landmark guidance" has a lower order
of precedence than "intersection", but when there is a building or
the like that is easier for the driver to recognize as a guidance
subject than a road sign at the intersection, the "landmark
guidance" relating to the building or the like may be given a
higher order of precedence. Guidance relating to individual
guidance subjects that have been set in a special order is issued
preferentially over the regularized order of precedence.
[0047] While in the above example, a single additional guidance
item is provided in the initial guidance, two or more additional
guidance items may be provided. For example, when a, b, c, d, e . .
. are set as the additional guidance items, the structure of the
additional guidance items is modified sequentially such that a and
b are issued in the initial guidance, c and d are issued in the
second guidance reissue, and e and f are issued in the third
guidance reissue. Partial modification may also be performed such
that a and b are issued in the initial guidance, b and c are issued
in the second guidance reissue, and c and d are issued in the third
guidance reissue.
[0048] Returning to FIG. 2, after modifying the structure of the
voice guidance data stored in the RAM 24, the information
processing control device 20 determines whether or not guidance is
complete, either on the basis of whether or not a guidance stopping
operation has been performed by the navigation device or on the
basis that the ignition has been switched off. When guidance is
complete (step 17; Y), the processing is terminated. When guidance
is not complete (step 17; N), on the other hand, the information
processing control device 20 returns to step 10 in preparation for
the next guidance reissue request (step 10; N.fwdarw.step 13) and
in preparation for initial guidance relating to the next guidance
subject (step 10; Y), and continues voice guidance processing.
[0049] A second example of voice guidance processing will now be
described. In the first example described with reference to the
flowchart in FIG. 2, the content of the additional item of guidance
is modified according to the number of guidance reissue requests,
but in this second example, the number of additional guidance items
output responsive to a given request is modified according to the
number of guidance reissue requests.
[0050] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the content of voice
guidance processing according to the second example. In the
flowchart shown in FIG. 3, step 161 differs from step 16 of the
first example shown in FIG. 2. Since all other steps are identical,
the same step numbers have been assigned thereto and description
thereof has been omitted.
[0051] In step 161 of the second example, the information
processing control device 20 adds additional guidance items
sequentially in accordance with the number of guidance reissue
requests (the strength of the request). Similarly to the first
example, it is assumed that the initial guidance includes the basic
guidance items "distance guidance" and "junction direction
guidance" and that the additional guidance item is "intersection
guidance" such that, for example, the guidance becomes "Turn left
at City Hall South in approximately 700 m".
[0052] In the following example, the added additional guidance
items are underlined. [0053] (a) First guidance reissue request:
"junction direction guidance"+"intersection guidance"+"distance
guidance", e.g. "Turn left at City Hall South in approximately 500
m". [0054] (b) Second guidance reissue request: "junction direction
guidance"+"intersection guidance"+"distance guidance"+"landmark
guidance", e.g. "Turn left at City Hall South in approximately 300
m. The supermarket XX marks the spot". [0055] (c) Third guidance
reissue request: "junction direction guidance"+"intersection
guidance"+"distance guidance"+"head toward guidance"+"landmark
guidance", e.g. "Turn left at City Hall South in approximately 300
m. Head toward Nagoya. The supermarket XX marks the spot".
[0056] Similar to the first example, in the second example, only
the distance item among the basic guidance items is modified, i.e.
from 700 m to 500 m, in the first guidance reissue, assuming that
the driver wishes to reconfirm the content of the initial guidance.
The remainder of the reissued guidance is identical in content to
the initial guidance stored in the RAM 24 in step 12. Beginning
with the second guidance reissue, the distance item among the basic
guidance items is modified and additional guidance items are added
sequentially in accordance with the number of guidance reissue
requests, assuming that the driver desires "guidance" rather than
"reconfirmation". In the above example, additional guidance items
are added to "intersection guidance" of the initial guidance in the
first reissue, in order of "landmark guidance", "head toward
guidance", etc.
[0057] In the above-described embodiment, when a guidance reissue
request is input for reissue of voice guidance regarding the same
guidance subject, the guidance content is modified (the content of
the additional item is modified or additional items are added) in
accordance with the number of guidance reissue requests, and
therefore, rather than listening to the same guidance repeatedly,
the driver can listen to different guidance information (additional
guidance items) in accordance with the number of guidance reissue
requests. In other words, the guidance reissuance conforms to the
driver's desire for information. Further, the initial guidance is
repeated (included) in the first guidance reissue, and therefore a
driver who failed to hear the basic guidance can reconfirm its
content. Optionally, the user may modify the number of times the
initial guidance is repeated.
[0058] An embodiment of the navigation system and method according
to the present invention was described above, but the present
invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment or examples,
and may have various modifications within the scope of the claims.
For example, in the embodiment described above, where the content
of the additional guidance item is modified according to the number
of guidance reissue requests (first example) and where additional
guidance items are added (second example) were described as the
manner in which the additional guidance is modified, but the
additional guidance may be modified in both ways, i.e. modifying
the content of the additional guidance item and adding additional
guidance items in accordance with the number of guidance reissue
requests. For example, an additional guidance item may be added
responsive to the second guidance reissue request, whereas the
additional guidance items may be modified responsive to the third
guidance reissue request. In this case, the modification responsive
to the third request may be applied to all of the additional items,
including the item added responsive to the second request, or to
only a part of the additional items. The addition and content
modification may be performed in any order.
[0059] Further, in the embodiment described above, the guidance
content is modified according to the number of guidance reissue
requests, but a determination as to whether to repeat the previous
guidance content or to modify the content (by modifying the content
of the additional item and/or by adding additional items) may be
made in accordance with the time interval between the initial
guidance and the first guidance reissue request or the time
interval between a guidance reissue responsive to the previous
guidance reissue request and the next guidance reissue request.
More specifically, when the time interval is equal to or smaller
than a predetermined threshold, the previous guidance is repeated
assuming that the driver wishes to listen to the previous guidance
content again, and when the time interval is greater than the
threshold, the guidance content is modified and reissued.
[0060] The invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in
all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the
invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the
foregoing description, and all changes which come within the
meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore
intended to be embraced therein.
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